Spotlight On: Digging for Clues, Solving Cases: County Police Detectives Earn High Clearance Rate

As one of the younger St. Charles County Police detectives, she's never watched the old TV detective show "Columbo."

But Detective Samantha Brown uses at least one "Columbo" technique without knowing it- she lets criminal suspects underestimate her.

"Many times, I act like, 'I'm kind of new here,' and they think I'm not catching on and they'll slip up and say something they don't mean to say," Brown says.

In her two years in the detective bureau, Brown has helped solve property crimes including stolen car cases, and also works many crimes against persons cases, including those whose victims are women or children.

Twelve Detectives
Brown is one part of a 12-member team known for its hard work, brains, determination and moxie. As the department prepares to celebrate its 10-year anniversary in January, Chief Kurt Frisz says he appreciates the detective bureau.

"I would put our detective bureau right up there with the best of the best," Frisz says. "Whether it's a shooting or a series of burglaries, car thefts-whatever it might be-they're always on it. They work well with each other and the prosecutor's office. It's a smooth operation back there."

Among their accomplishments, detectives solved 77% of crimes against person cases in 2022 and 2023, and 62% so far this year. That batting average is considered remarkable, compared to many police departments that struggle to solve even half of crimes against persons.

"It definitely reveals the work we do back here," says Captain David Tiefenbrunn, the Detective Bureau Commander. "Oftentimes I come across cases that I feel have very few leads and a low solvability factor, and these detectives will just hit the ground running with it and generate leads, and often solve cases that I think will never get solved."

The detectives all meet about once a week, sitting around a big table swapping ideas on cases. One detective may remember a similar case with other clues. Leads are popping. Sometimes, their office is as quiet as a library, and other times there are cheers or high-fives as they get a break in a case.

"A good detective has that inquiring mind that just really wants to follow through and gets personally involved in the case," Tiefenbrunn says.

Over the years, the bureau has included many interesting individuals.

Detective Mike Cantillon, aka "Smokey"
A veteran of the detective bureau, he works as the arson investigator, and may sometimes smell like smoke. But that's not how he got his nickname.

"I caught my apartment on fire back in 2003 when I first started working here. I fell asleep cooking a hamburger and French fries," Cantillon says.

An animal lover, Cantillon got an assignment a couple years ago to investigate an international cock-fighting ring breeding roosters in West Alton. He led the complex, multi-jurisdictional case, resulting in an arrest and conviction.

"Everybody has a special trait that we can use," Cantillon says. "Some write search warrants better or do the leg work better."

What's his trait?

"I usually don't give up in my cases," he says. "I just feel like there's something there. Even if there isn't, I just feel like there's something there."

His determination paid off in a robbery case last year. A vending machine company was robbed of about $10,000. Police didn't have enough on the person of interest, but they kept digging and digging and got enough to make an arrest.

"You always feel like there's one more thing," Cantillon says.

Detective Carl Cunningham
Two years with the bureau, Cunningham says he has a personality trait that helps in his work.

"I'm a very nosy person," Cunningham says. "You've got to want to know things. You've got to want to know the things that people don't want you to know. That's the kind of stuff that really gets to me. I want to know the why and I want to know the who. And that has really helped me as a detective."

Earlier, Cunningham worked for St. Louis City police, and he says he's seen a difference here.

"St. Charles County Police really benefit from the lack of violent crime," Cunningham says. "So, when you have property crimes, your detectives can spend more time on things like a phone theft or a burglary. We have a lot of good detectives. Everybody is definitely motivated."

Detective Mike Hoefle
Now a patrol sergeant, Hoefle was in the detective bureau when he helped solve a murder case with his knack for noticing little things.

A man had been killed in West Alton. His car was stolen. Hoefle noticed something when the missing car was spotted by a license plate reader in the city of St. Louis. The whole team was working on leads.

"What ended up breaking the case is the same car was following the victim's vehicle in two locations, two hours apart, one in the north end of the city, the other in the south. What are the chances of that?" Tiefenbrunn says. "Hoefle noticed that."

They ran the plate on that car, got a suspect and followed up on the lead, and ended up clearing the case.

Detective Mike Yarbrough
"The oldest school cop I can think of is Mike Yarbrough," Tiefenbrunn says.

Described by those who knew him as loud, boisterous, and a big man, Yarbrough worked in the St. Charles County Detective Bureau more than 20 years and served many times on the Major Case Squad.

"Towards the end of his career, he investigated our financial crimes," Tiefenbrunn says. "He had a very good working relationship with all of the higher-ups in the banks, so he could get the information he needed. It's really not a sought-after position, because he sat in his cubicle hour after hour looking through records, writing subpoenas. But it's a needed investigation tool."

Detective Ross Bishop
Remembered for his big smile and sense of humor, Detective Bishop served 23 of his 33 years with the department in the detective bureau.

Fellow detectives can still hear his voice, the way he used to greet them as they passed by his cubicle. "What's up, big cat daddy?"

Bishop often worked with the Major Case Squad.

Captain David Cathey recalls when he would greet Bishop at work and ask him how he's doing. Bishop would say, "I'm busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs."

Bishop died of cancer in January 2023, shortly after he retired.

Looking to the future

The St. Charles County Police Detective Bureau continues to grow and look for new ways to solve crimes, as the department approaches its 10-year anniversary.

"We always have open eyes and ears for new technology, new advancements," Tiefenbrunn says. "These detectives go to meetings with other detectives in the metro area to keep abreast of new crime trends and new technology that might help you solve crimes."

Among the new technology on the horizon: drones stationed around the county ready to takeoff when needed for eyes on the scene.

There's also an emphasis on preserving the old school skills of developing informants, working the phones, getting out and talking with people.

"I have a great group of men and women who work diligently to solve these crimes and sometimes they even surprise me on how they generate leads," Tiefenbrunn says.

Chief Frisz also looks to the detective bureau to continue advancing in how they solve crimes.

"Our detective bureau is so solid as a team," says Chief Frisz. "They all take care of business. They all do a great job. Every time we get called out to a shooting or serious crime, they're just very focused and professional."

Editor's note: This article is part of a series celebrating the upcoming 10-year anniversary of the St. Charles County Police Department.

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